The ACEP Leadership and Advocacy Conference puts advocacy in the spotlight and makes it easy to get involved.
Held in-person this year - May 1-4 in Washington, D.C. - ACEP LAC brings together hundreds of emergency physicians and EM-interested medical students to work for a better political environment for the specialty and for patients.
EMRA and YPS Health Policy Primer
The EMRA and YPS Health Policy Primer will be held Sunday, May 1. This is a must-attend event for advocacy newcomers (and veterans), first-time attendees of LAC, and all those interested in the nuances of today’s policy issues.
The Health Policy Primer explains:
- Basics of health policy and advocacy
- Politics of policy
- How to advocate effectively
As a key collaboration between EMRA and the ACEP Young Physicians Section, the Health Policy Primer offers not only high-yield education and context, but also a chance to meet colleagues at every level of policy expertise.
Why You Should Attend
Advocacy is increasingly important in the healthcare climate today. But it doesn't have to be intimidating. Brittany Hudson-Walsh, DO, and Chris Johnson, DO, were first-time LAC attendees in 2021. They shared their key takeaways and reasons you should make time for this important event.
Brittany Hudson-Walsh, DO
University of Kansas
Favorite thing about LAC: My favorite part of LAC was learning from other residents about their involvements and projects at their respective programs. I was inspired by watching other residents create policies and advocate for improvements in their respective residents, in medicine, and in our scope of practice as emergency physicians.
Most unexpected aspect of LAC: I found the most unexpected, and yet still my favorite, was watching how influential residents can be in policymaking. We often feel like it is hard to have a voice in residency, and yet at LAC I felt like the collective of residents had one of the strongest voices.
What do you look forward to most for next time? I look forward to growing the relationships with the other residents when I return next year. I look forward to again, being inspired by their successes and contributions to our profession.
Why should others get involved (in LAC and/or advocacy)? It is imperative that we understand how to affect policies and communicate with decision-makers who influence our scope of practice. Our support for various causes, and the advocacy groups spearheading those causes, can be vital to the impact we can make on our patients.
Any additional thoughts? LAC was a welcoming conference, and I appreciated how speakers were able to speak to me, a novice within the policy and advocacy world, in a way that made me feel well informed. The health policy primer from EMRA was also so crucial to my understanding of how I can get involved as a resident.
Chris Johnson, DO
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Favorite thing about LAC: I thoroughly enjoyed the ability to engage with emergency medicine physicians across the country who are passionate about what we do and who we serve. I saw a refreshing resilience in how we advocated for our colleagues, our patients, and our profession that expands outside of the emergency department.
Most unexpected aspect of LAC: I was not expecting the boldness of many conference attendees to stand up and ask critical questions in regard to the future and stability of emergency medicine in the future
What do you look forward to most for next time? I look forward to in-person meetings with members of Congress on Capitol Hill.
Why should others get involved (in LAC and/or advocacy)? This is a thankless, behind-the-scenes job, but is absolutely necessary as we continue to strive for excellence in patient care and physician wellness.
Register Today
Find details at www.emra.org/lac and register for LAC at www.acep.org/lac.